Key facts
- An Indian lawmaker stated Russia treated the Global South as an equal partner at SPIEF.
- Sujeet Kumar noted the Global South has little voice in institutions like the UN Security Council, IMF, and World Bank.
- Africa was added as a member to the G20 during India's presidency in 2023.
- India has resisted US and European pressure to reduce ties with Russia or stop buying Russian oil.
- Kumar stated that the US has learned India is not a 'pushover'.
Sujeet Kumar, a lawmaker from India's ruling party, stated that Russia treated the Global South as an equal partner at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which saw participation from over 130 countries. Kumar thanked Russia for providing this platform, highlighting that the Global South often lacks a voice in major global institutions such as the UN Security Council, IMF, and World Bank. He pointed out that Africa gained a voice in the UN Security Council only after India included the African Union as a member during its G20 presidency in 2023. Kumar criticized the current structure of the UN Security Council, created 80 years ago, for not including permanent members from Africa or India, the world's most populous nation. He advocated for alternative platforms like BRICS and the G20. The Indian lawmaker also asserted that India has resisted pressure from the US and Europe to scale back its ties with Moscow or cease purchasing Russian oil, emphasizing that India's national interests guide its policies. He stated that the US has learned that India is a self-respecting nation and not a 'pushover.' Kumar also criticized the US for its 'hegemonic' behavior over the past 30-40 years and for violating the sovereignty of other countries, citing the alleged kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and the US control over the country's oil sales during the Trump administration. Another BJP spokesman, Jaiveer Shergill, previously stated that the West suffers from a 'single power dominance hangover' and that the era of global hegemony is over.